Specialty on Formal Night? Why or Why Not?

[rubinstein2r]

I'm interested in why people book a specialty restaurant on a formal night or why not... We will be on a Bermuda cruise in June with two other couples and want to have one "extra special" night. Trying to decide which night to do it.

[irishayes]

We purchased the 3 specialty dinner package for our 3 formal nights on our 13 night cruise simply because we don't have room to bring formal clothes in addition to clothes that will last us 13 nights.

 

Sent from my XT1080 using Tapatalk

[Caribbean Chris]

We often book it because that's the most dressed up we will be, and the atmosphere is so elegant in Murano. Just makes it an extra special night.

 

Then there is the thought that you'll miss the best main dining room menu like lobster on formal night, so better to go to specialty on a lesser menu night. (It's all good in my book.)

 

Some people on various cruise lines dislike things like baked Alaska parades and waiters singing, twirling napkins, etc near the end of the cruise, and choose the specialty restaurant that night.

[shipshape sam]

We tend to enjoy the food offerings on Formal nights in the MDR, but have no issue with going to a Speciality Restaurant on a Formal night.

 

It will be interesting to see how dining on Royal Caribbean Quantum works and if successful how fast it spreads to Celebrity which I think will happen.

[OCA REP]

I'm interested in why people book a specialty restaurant on a formal night or why not... We will be on a Bermuda cruise in June with two other couples and want to have one "extra special" night. Trying to decide which night to do it.

 

We opted out of taking any formal wear on our last cruise and will not take any when we sail to Bermuda in July. We therefore usually booked a specialty for formal evenings.

[New Hampshire]

At least 25% of men were without jackets on formal nights in the MDR/Select Dining on my recent Summit cruise.. Therefore, it's not necessary to reserve specialty restaurants for formal nights. My last four cruises on three different Celebrity ships had no enforcement of formal dress codes in the MDR?

[OCA REP]

At least 25% of men were without jackets on formal nights in the MDR/Select Dining on my recent Summit cruise.. Therefore, it's not necessary to reserve specialty restaurants for formal nights. My last four cruises on three different Celebrity ships had no enforcement of formal dress codes in the MDR?

 

That's a shame

 

If it is formal night, I believe if you are going to dine in the MDR, you should follow the dress code. We will stick to the specialties or the buffet. We will get one comped dinner for being in a suite, so that only leaves one other evening to cover.

[cpj]

The formal night is no big deal anymore. They serve something they call lobster but not good in my opinion. For anything special you have to go to the specialty restaurants. In the future your going to see more specialty restaurants because of the sucess that NCL has with there restaurants. RCCL has now done that are there new ship and it will one day be on Celebrity. Its one other way they can create more on board spending. The diehards will still have there MDR and they can still say how good it is but a lot of people will pay for better quality. They will still keep prices competive but if you will have to pay for quality.

[flag fan]

I go to a specialty restaurant on "lobster night"--which is a formal night, because I don't like lobster so it is more to avoid a menu I don't want in the main dining room than to avoid formal wear (I dress up anyway) or because of anything going on in the specialty restaurant.

[Christine Frances]

DH wears his Tux on formal night if we are in the MDR or a Specialty Rest. Usually don't bother spending the $$$'s for Specialty rest (you can pay for TWO checked bags for what they cost lol) as we are very happy with the food in the MDR. We can travel for 6+ weeks with only 1 checked bag each and still bring our formal stuff.

[Lsimon]

One thing to consider is that they usually have the best menus in the MDR on formal nights.

 

I go to a specialty restaurant on "lobster night"--which is a formal night, because I don't like lobster so it is more to avoid a menu I don't want in the main dining room than to avoid formal wear (I dress up anyway) or because of anything going on in the specialty restaurant.

 

They always have four or 5 entrees in addition to the lobster entrée and in addition to the "every night" offerings. So even if one doesn't like lobster there will be other items to choose from.

Edited April 22, 2014 by Lsimon

[We're The Groupnors]

One thing to consider is that they usually have the best menus in the MDR on formal nights.

 

 

 

They always have four or 5 entrees in addition to the lobster entrée and in addition to the "every night" offerings. So even if one doesn't like lobster there will be other items to choose from.

 

So true. I like the rack of lamb, and DH likes the filet mignon. We enjoy formal nights in the MDR, but might skip one of the three on a 14 night cruise and try a specialty during the middle formal night, which we find is the "least special" of the three.

[tip]

We always book a specialty restaurant on the so-called formal nights. We just do not enjoy the aura of it all in the MDR. We have no desire to play dress-up or to relive our high school prom. We know that there are those who do and we have no problem with that. We promise not to sit at the same table with you, get in any photographs, or otherwise degrade your experience.

[Wineart]

I would save the specialty restaurant for a non-formal night. I agree on not wanting to take up valuable luggage space with formal wear, but sport jacket and tie is totally acceptable for formal night and doesn't take up much packing space.

[mpace58]

DW and I no longer do formal nights. So we book specialty restaurants for those evenings.